The Air Force has proposed that the United States institute a number of cooperative measures with other nations to add confidence to the U.S. declaration that the Minotaur missiles deployed at coastal bases would carry conventional warheads. These measures could include military-to-military contacts, high level political consultations, and ongoing discussions to keep Russia and other nations informed about U.S. plans for these missiles and to make them aware of the observable differences between conventional and nuclear ballistic missiles. The Air Force has referred to this process as a “strategic dialogue” that might, over time, answer questions and ease concerns about the plans for and capabilities of long-range ballistic missiles armed with conventional warheads. The United States could also invite other nations to observe test launches of these missiles or to participate in exercises that include simulations with these missiles. This might allow nations such as Russia to become familiar with the operational procedures associated with ballistic missiles armed with conventional warheads and to distinguish between these procedures and those associated with nuclear-armed missiles. Further, the United States could allow Russia to conduct short-notice inspections at the Minotaur bases, similar to, or even more intrusive than, the inspections permitted at nuclear missile bases under the START Treaty, to confirm the absence of nuclear weapons either on the missiles or in the storage facilities. Over time, these measures would not only provide information about the missiles and their missions, but might also build confidence and understanding between the parties. The increased level of cooperation, and possibly decreased level of suspicion, might then reduce the likelihood of misinterpretation if the United States were to launch ballistic missiles with conventional warheads.

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Woolf, Amy F. Conventional Warheads for Long-Range Ballistic Missiles: Background and Issues for Congress. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Research Service, March 13, 2006. [ 2 quotes ] [ page 19 ]